Encapsulated Toilet Seat

ABSTRACT

A toilet seat may provide an overhang on the bottom that encapsulates the outer rim of a toilet bowl on one or more sides to stabilize the toilet seat. The toilet seat may include a larger seating area than a conventional toilet seat by providing that portions of the seat extend over the outer edge of the toilet bowl.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to toilet seats.

BACKGROUND

Conventional toilet seats comprise a seat attached to a toilet at a single point of contact such as a hinge. These seats lack features to prevent lateral movement, or shifting, of the seat. Often the hinge is the only point of attachment and contact between the toilet seat and the toilet. However, the weight of a large or obese person sitting on the seat can cause the seat to shift side-to-side or front-to-back, or to tilt. This is a problem for heavy people who experience a lack of stability of the seat, as well as too little sitting area.

It would be desirable to provide a new design of a toilet seat that provides increased stability of a seat through features that hold the toilet seat in place by an encapsulation of the toilet bowl by the toilet seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention relates to a toilet seat with an overhang on the underside of the toilet seat that fits around the outside rim of a toilet bowl to hold the toilet seat laterally in place. In this manner, the overhang of the toilet seat encapsulates the toilet bowl from the outside. The toilet seat may also provide more seating area than a conventional toilet seat. For example, it may extend outwardly beyond the toilet bowl rim on a conventional toilet to provide additional surface area beyond that provided by a conventional toilet seat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of one embodiment of a toilet seat consistent with aspects of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top plan view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom plan view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a left side elevation view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a right side elevation view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a front elevation view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a rear elevation view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a portable embodiment of a toilet seat consistent with aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In this specification, reference is made in detail to specific embodiments of the invention. Some of the embodiments or their aspects are illustrated in the drawings.

For clarity in explanation, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, however it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the invention covers alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within its scope as defined by any patent claims. The following embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations on, the claimed invention. In the following description, specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In addition, well known features may not have been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of an embodiment of the invention comprising toilet seat 100 that is larger than a conventional toilet seat. The toilet seat 100 extends outwardly over the outer rim of the toilet bowl 105.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the same embodiment. The toilet seat 100 is shown sitting on a toilet illustrated in broken lines. The embodiment includes an overhang 101 on the underside of the toilet seat that fits around the outer rim of the toilet bowl. Overhang 101 may be dimensioned to fit around the outer rim of conventional toilet bowls, with conventional dimensions, or around specially design toilet bowls. The toilet seat 100 may have one or more ribs 102 that strengthen and stabilize the overhang 101. In this manner, the toilet seat 100 encapsulates the toilet bowl 105 through overhang 101 and prevents problematic shifting or tilting of the seat during use. This is achieved by the toilet seat 100 having additional points of contact with the toilet bowl (through overhang 101) beyond a conventional toilet seat.

In the exemplary embodiment, the toilet seat 100 extends outwardly on the front, left side, and right side beyond the outer edge of a toilet bowl and the overhang 101. Portions of the toilet seat 100 are thus cantilevered over the edge of the toilet bowl. By extending outwardly in a lateral direction, the toilet seat 100 offers additional seating area to large persons. In some embodiments, the toilet seat 100 can also extend backwards from the toilet bowl farther than a conventional toilet. In some embodiments, the toilet seat 100 does not extend in every direction over the outer edge of the toilet bowl but only in some of them.

The length that the toilet seat 100 extends beyond the outer edge of the toilet bowl rim may be, for example, at least 0.5 inches, at least 1 inch, at least 1.5 inches, at least 2 inches, at least 2.5 inches, at least 3 inches, or more beyond the outer edge of the toilet bowl and overhang 101. Optionally, the length that the toilet seat 100 extends beyond the outer edge of the toilet bowl rim may be less than 3 inches, less than 2.5 inches, or less than 2 inches beyond the outer edge of the toilet bowl and overhang 101. The top of toilet seat 100 may be flat, or substantially flat. In alternative embodiments, the top of toilet seat 100 may be contoured or may be rounded. The bottom of toilet seat 100 may be flat or substantially flat.

The inner edge of the toilet seat 100 (i.e., the edge around the center hole in the seat) may be designed similarly or identically to a conventional toilet seat. For example, the inner edge of the toilet seat 100 may extend inwards slightly beyond the inner edge of the toilet bowl, for example 0 to 1 inches, or may be flush or substantially flush with the inner edge of the toilet bowl.

Turning to overhang 101, the overhang 101 may be of various sizes. For example, the overhang may be approximately any of the following heights: 0.25 inches, 0.5 inches, 0.75 inches, 1 inch, 1.25 inches, 1.5 inches, 1.75 inches, 2 inches, or more than 2 inches. The overhang 101 may optionally fit tightly around the toilet bowl or may have a small gap (for example, zero to 0.5 inches). Having a small gap can allow for small variations in toilet bowl sizes.

In the embodiment, the overhang 101 is illustrated to fit around the front and sides of the toilet bowl, but not the rear. In other embodiments, more or fewer sides of the toilet bowl may be encircled by the overhang 101. For example, in one embodiment the overhang is only on the two sides (left and right). In other embodiments, the overhang may be only on the front and back. The overhang 101 may operably prevent or minimize lateral movement of the toilet seat 100 when the seat is placed on a toilet bowl, because a lateral movement would cause the overhang 101 to hit the edge of the toilet bowl.

The overhang 101 may be one piece with the toilet seat 100 or may be a separate piece affixed to the bottom of the toilet seat 100. Optionally, the toilet seat 100 may have one or more bumpers on the underside to sit on the rim of the toilet bowl. If the toilet seat 100 does not have bumpers, the underside of the toilet seat 100, or at least portions of the underside of toilet seat 100, may sit directly on the rim of the toilet bowl.

The toilet seat 100 may be made of materials such as plastic, wood, ceramic, metal, and other materials. In some embodiments, the toilet seat 100 is made of material to structurally harden it to support greater weight than a conventional toilet seat. The toilet seat may support exemplary weights of over 350 pounds, over 450 pounds, over 500 pounds, over 1,000 pounds, and so on.

The toilet seat may optionally include a hinge 103 and toilet seat cover 104. Toilet seat 100 may be of various shapes and sizes such as round or elongated to fit on round or elongated toilets. Toilet seat 100 may be used with and fit on conventional toilets, as described above, or with specially designed toilets.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate top and bottom plan views, respectively, of the embodiment described above. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate left side and right side elevation views thereof, respectively. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate front and rear elevation views thereof, respectively.

FIG. 9 illustrates a portable toilet seat 200 that is a variation of toilet seat 100. The portable toilet seat 200 has the features of toilet seat 100, including the encapsulating overhang 101 and ribs 102, but it is designed to be portable rather than being permanently affixed to a toilet. The portable toilet seat 200 is easily attached or detached from a conventional toilet having a conventional toilet seat. The portable toilet seat 200 is designed to be placed on the toilet bowl after the conventional toilet seat of the toilet is placed in the raised position. After use, the portable toilet seat 200 may be removed by lifting it off the toilet. The portable toilet seat 200 does not need to be affixed to the toilet with hinges, screws, or other mechanisms and can stay in place on the toilet just by being placed there. The overhang 101 holds the portable toilet seat 200 in place when it is on the toilet. The bottom of the portable toilet seat 200 contacts and sits directly on the toilet bowl rim. However, alternatively, the portable toilet seat 200 may have bumpers on the bottom so that the bumpers sit on the toilet bowl rim.

The toilet seat 200 lacks a hinge, and the rear portion of the toilet seat is short enough that, when placed on the conventional toilet, the rear portion does not overlap or hit the toilet's permanently affixed toilet seat or its hinge. The portable toilet seat 200 may optionally be made of a lightweight material.

Thus, the toilet seat 200 is unlike a conventional toilet seat in that it stays in place without use of a hinge. The conventional use of a hinge is replaced using the overhang 101 that allows toilet seat 200 to encapsulate the toilet bowl. In this manner, the toilet seat 200 is stable, without the use of a hinge.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood that changes in the form and details of the disclosed embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Although various advantages, aspects, and objects of the present invention have been discussed herein with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood that the scope of the invention should not be limited by reference to such advantages, aspects, and objects. Rather, the scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the patent claims. 

1. A toilet seat assembly comprising: a toilet seat, the bottom of the toilet seat including an overhang that fits around a portion of the outside rim of a toilet bowl to hold the toilet seat laterally in place; the toilet seat extending outwardly beyond the overhang on at least three sides of the toilet seat; the toilet seat extending outwardly beyond the outside rim of the toilet bowl on at least three sides of the toilet seat, when the toilet seat is placed on the toilet bowl.
 2. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat includes a hinge for attaching to a toilet.
 3. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat does not include a hinge and the toilet seat is attachable to a toilet bowl having an attached conventional toilet seat while the attached conventional toilet seat remains attached to the toilet bowl and the attached conventional toilet seat is in the raised position.
 4. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising a toilet seat cover attached to the toilet seat by a hinge.
 5. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat and the overhang are one piece.
 6. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the overhang is a separate piece affixed to the underside of the toilet seat.
 7. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat is made of plastic.
 8. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat is made of wood.
 9. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat extends outwardly at least one inch beyond the edge of the overhang on at least three sides of the toilet seat.
 10. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat is round.
 11. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat is elongated.
 12. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat supports weights over 350 pounds.
 13. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the overhang fits around at least two sides of the toilet bowl.
 14. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the overhang fits around at least three sides of the toilet bowl.
 15. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, further comprising ribs on the underside of the toilet seat that structurally support the overhang.
 16. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the toilet seat extends outwardly at least 1.5 inches beyond the edge of the overhang on at least three sides of the toilet seat.
 17. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the overhang is at least 0.5 inches tall.
 18. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the overhang is at least 1 inch tall.
 19. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the gap between the overhang and outer rim of the toilet bowl is less than 0.1 inches, when the toilet seat is placed on the toilet bowl.
 20. The toilet seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the gap between the overhang and outer rim of the toilet bowl is less than 0.05 inches, when the toilet seat is placed on the toilet bowl. 